Protective film forming agent, and method for producing semiconductor chip

A protective film forming agent for forming a protective film on a surface of a semiconductor wafer in dicing of the semiconductor wafer, the protective film forming agent comprising:

• a water-soluble resin (A), a light-absorbing agent (B), a basic compound (C), and a solvent(S),
• wherein a content of the basic compound (C) is 0.11% by mass or more and 0.43% by mass or less,
• the water-soluble resin (A) comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone or hydroxypropyl cellulose,
• the light-absorbing agent (B) is a compound represented by formula (B1) or formula (B2),
• wherein in formula (B1), R1 and R3 are each independently a hydroxy group or a carboxy group, R2 and R4 are each independently a hydroxy group or a group represented by —NR5R6, R5 and R6 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms, and m and n are each independently an integer of 0 or more and 2 or less,
• wherein in formula (B2), R11 is a group represented by —NR12R13, R12 and R13 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms, p is an integer of 0 or more and 3 or less, and when p is 2 or more, a plurality of R11s may be the same or different,
• wherein the basic compound (C) comprises one selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, imidazole, ammonia, and NaOH.